Thousands of asylum seekers head through Southeast Asian countries on their way to Australia every year and many link up with peoplesmugglers in Indonesia for the dangerous voyage.
Most travel to Malaysia or Indonesia where peoplesmugglers have established the logistics, however dangerous, to ferry people in search of safety and a better life into Australian waters.
Ministers say the agreement, under which the Malaysians will send to Australia 4,000 long-term refugees whose claims for protection have been approved, will disrupt the activities of peoplesmugglers.